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Living History... Detailing a B-24 and B-25 World War II Bombers.
I've been blessed with a career I greatly adore. I've detailed some of the world's greatest classics and exotics and historically significant items such as Ronald Reagans Presidential limousine, aircraft used as Air Force One and the Ferdinand Magellan Presidential railcar U.S.#1.
Since 2013 I had had the pleasure of leading a team annually to care for a very rare bird. Witchcraft is a Consolidated B-24J Liberator.
This aircraft belongs to the Collings Foundation. The Collings Foundation is a non-profit, Educational Foundation (501c-3), founded in 1979. The purpose of the Foundation is to organize and support "living history" events that enable Americans to learn more about their heritage through direct participation. Their collection contains classic vehicles, armored tanks, and vintage aircraft.
Witchcraft, along with two other WWII aircraft, flies as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour, visiting over 120 cities nationwide annually. When she comes into Southern California we detail her.
I first discovered Witchcraft one afternoon while I was detailing a car in Arcadia, Ca. While working, I distinctly heard the sound of radial engines overhead. I quickly looked up and was very surprised to see a B-24 in the air. To my knowledge at that time, there were no airworthy B-24s.
That night I searched the internet for information about her. I soon discovered her name was Witchcraft.
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Re: Living History... Detailing a B-24 and B-25 World War II Bombers.
I followed the Collings Foundation of FaceBook,www.facebook.com/collings.foundation. I learned that they had left my area but would be back the following year. Routinely I'd log onto their Facebook page to follow Witchcraft on her journey across America.
On one occasion this photo was posted. I noticed that her finish had seen better days and was in need of some love.
It had been nearly a year since I've seen Witchcraft fly overhead. The crew were in Arizona and knew they would be back in my area soon. I contacted the Witchcraft crew through Facebook and arranged to meet them in a few weeks.
We met when they had arrived at an airport near me. I verified that she indeed was in need of a major finish reconditioning. I knew she could be saved.
After I received the thumbs up from the Witchcraft crew and the Collings Foundation I started to make calls to my friends in the detailing industry.
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Super Member
Re: Living History... Detailing a B-24 and B-25 World War II Bombers.
The following two weeks I had received commitments from AutoGeek, Meguiars, a client of mine Gary Johnson of ACE Clearwater, and 14 other detailers to help with the project. We restored her finish back to new.
The finish holds up for about a year before it needs polishing again. Since 2013 we have done Witchcraft annually. This year, 2017, word spread quickly throughout the detailing community that she was coming into town and that I'd lead another crew to restore her finish. I was inundated with calls, texts, emails and private messages from detailers requesting to be part of this years team. 36 detailers from across the United States signed up this year. With a team big 36 man team I figured we could not only detail Withcraft but we could do her little sister, the B-25 Mitchell "Tondelayo" as well. Tondelayo's finish was also in need of a great deal of care.
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Re: Living History... Detailing a B-24 and B-25 World War II Bombers.
The entire event was beyond what my words could explain. I am so grateful to be part of such a project. Much appreciation to AutoGeek, Meguiars, Rupes, Lyon Air Museum, ACE Clearwater and to the 36 NUTS that dropped everything and joined me to polish up two precious artifacts of American history.
To top it off..... I was presented one of two custom Rupes Bigfoot done in Witchcraft livery!!!
Please takea moment and watch this short trailer about a soon to be released documentry about this Consolidated B-24J liberator, "Witchcraft"
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